4 High Quality (And Cheap) USB Accessories On Amazon Every Homeowner Needs – BGR

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You can find pretty much anything on Amazon, from expensive home entertainment equipment to affordable accessories. When it comes to the latter, if you need something in a rush, it’s not often worth a trip to the store to scan aisle after aisle to find it. There are useful USB accessories for the home, for example, that cost less than the gas it would require to drive to and from your local big box store. But these tiny doohickeys can make a world of difference in many ways, so they’re worth ordering to keep around the house for when you need them.

If you’re looking for essential USB accessories, including cool USB-C mini gadgets that are not just affordable but also high quality, we have you covered. Whether it’s something that makes it easy to charge using legacy adapters, tiny adapters that unlock a world of entertainment, or gadgets that expand a single outlet into multiple ones, we have a few suggestions worth considering for your next Amazon order.

Most devices nowadays employ the universal USB-C port, which is great because it’s faster, easier to connect, and means you can use a single cable to charge everything from your smartphone to your tablet, wireless earbuds, pocket camera, and more. But legacy USB-A ports are still in abundance in multi-port outlets, alarm clocks, old docks, and more. With the Basesailor USB-to-USB-C adapter, plug it into the old outlet, then plug your device’s USB-C-to-USB-C cable into it and the other USB-C side into the device that needs power.

It comes in nine colors so you can choose a bright one that won’t get lost in that “everything” kitchen drawer. The highly-rated set with more than 200,000 reviews comes with three adapters so you can pop a few into your carry-on bag for travel, too. At just $9.99 with additional discounts via clippable coupons, you can’t go wrong.

While USB-A will likely eventually go the way of the dodo, for now, it co-exists with USB-C. And there’s nothing more annoying than going to plug in your phone after a long day and realizing everyone in the family already took all the USB-C ports.

With so many gadgets to charge daily, every household needs a charger block. In fact, even single individuals can find use for one. With a phone, tablet, earbuds, laptop, and smartwatch, that’s already five outlets you need for a single person’s daily devices. Charger blocks extend a wall outlet with one AC plug into two, three, or even four outlets that accept USB-A and USB-C cables. 

The MateStar USB-C Charger Block has two USB-C and two USB-A ports for charging up to four devices using different cables. Useful safety features like overcurrent, overvoltage, overheating, and short circuit protection are appreciated, along with the fact that it’s made from fireproof material. When traveling, pop it into your backpack to use on the go, too.

The maximum power output of up to 40W — 20W with the USB-C ports — can charge a new iPhone to about half in just 30 minutes. It’s not the fastest charging block you’ll find, but for something to keep in a universal spot in the home that everyone can use, it’s an affordable option at $10 on sale for a two-pack, so you’re actually getting them for $5 each. That’s a steal.

If you have an HDMI cable connected to the back of your TV for swapping among source devices, like a gaming console and Blu-ray player, you might want to use it for other non-HDMI devices as well. To connect a laptop that only has a USB-C port, an HDMI to USB-C adapter is essential. The Uni HDMI to USB-C adapter can transmit 4K video at 60Hz so you can play back a source from your computer more reliably than using wireless transmission, like AirPlay.

With thousands of positive reviews and just $12.99 with a coupon to save another $3 on top of that, it’s compatible with many computer brands, including Apple MacBook, Microsoft Surface, Dell, and Chromebook, as well as other devices like iPads, Galaxy tablets, Android phones, and more. Plug the HDMI cable into the female port and the male USB-C port into your device, switch inputs, and you’re off to the races without the need for software or drivers.

You can use it to connect your laptop or other source device to a monitor, even mini projector as well. The nylon braided cable is extra durable so it’s built to last. The 18-month warranty, meanwhile, provides peace-of-mind.

SanDisk is one of the most trusted brands when it comes to accessories like USB flash drives and memory cards. This SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drive is perfect as a primary or secondary back-up for files from your phone or laptop. It has enough storage space to hold up to 53,000 12MP photos, 20,000 songs, or 336 minutes of HD video. It’s a tangible place to offload important archived documents or photos versus using the cloud or a hard drive.

You can load movies, home videos, music, and more, then plug it into a TV or portable projector for playback. It’s great for tucking away in a home safe in case of emergency as well. Choose larger capacities if desired, or smaller: pick up a few and label them for organization: one for tax filings, one for vacation photos, one for downloaded music playlists, and so on.

You get read speeds up to 100MB/s to quickly transfer content from one device to another. With SanDisk Secure Access Software, private files are kept as such. Since it can withstand extreme operating temperatures, you can rest assured that your data is safe under all types of conditions.

We focus on providing recommendations of products we have either tried ourselves or that have glowing reviews. All the products in this round-up have at least a 4.5-star rating from thousands of verified customers. We also check specifications and compatibility to ensure they add value and will work as intended.